Broker, San Clemente Real Estate Co. and co-owner of Beach Cities Financial Services, San Clemente, Calif.

October 29, 1997

What she does: I am a real estate broker at San Clemente Real Estate Co. who gets 95% of her home sales from Internet leads. I also co-own a mortgage firm, Beach Cities Financial Services.

Computer she uses: Acer, 133 Mhz, 32 MB Ram & MSIE 4.0 browser

Best business decision she ever made: To begin EARLY (1.5 years ago) learning how to use the Internet as a powerful real estate marketing tool.

Worst business decision she ever made: I once failed to install strong checks and balances at a brokerage firm I co-owned and my partner made off with more than $70,000 of company funds.

Favorite quote: Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richardís Almanac: "A little neglect may breed mischief -- for want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for want of a horse the rider was lost."

Information sources she reads (newspapers, magazines, Web sites): The Orange County Register, Time, various real estate trade magazines, My Excite Channel, Inman News Features, IRED.com, RElibrary.com and more.

Web sites that have caught her attention recently: Inman.com, My Excite Channel, Pointcast, Pepsi.com, Netscape

Recent book: "Medusaís Child," by John Nance (soon an ABC TV movie in Nov.)

Hero: Lady Godiva -- In the eleventh century, this gracious lady who hailed from Coventry, in England, was very moved by the plight of the poor.

Recent movie: Independence Day -- because it shows how the world COULD unite for a common cause.

Automobile: Current: big Ford van. Next year: Huge Ford Expedition.

Education: Community Colleges.

What drives her: The quest for personal happiness. "What goes around....." is very true since life is, at heart, about relationships; not just business.

Who or what she fears: A growing youth tendency in America to point the finger the other way rather than take personal responsibility for oneís actions.

Prediction for coming year: An economy that raises ALL boats. And, a 1998 WWW commercial explosion.

Management style: Empowerment... mixing praise with critiques -- and Management by Objectives.

Most important ethical consideration: "Do unto others..." but maybe do even a little BETTER than they might do for you.

Where she lives: San Clemente, CA condominium about 600 yards from the Pacific Ocean.

Where she vacations: Hawaii this year, Jamaica next, then Caribbean cruise.

How she spends her weekends: Mixing in real estate sales with plays, dinners, movies, beach going, charity work.

Most important priority in life: To make the world better by fair play. To retire and live off 20% interest on $10 million (at least).

E-mail address: Deb4re@Cox.net

URL: http://www.DebbieFerrari.com

© 1997 Inman News Features. All Rights Reserved.